Engine support



June 3, 1930,

.G. H. DAUBNER ENGINE SUPPORT Filed Feb. 1, 1

atto cmg! Patented June 3, 1930 PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES GEORGE E.DAUBNER, OF PONTIAC, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO YELLOW TRUCK & COACHMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PONTIAC, ,MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MAINEENGINE surron'r Application filed February 1, 1928. Serial No. 251,186.

This invention relates to motor vehicles and more particularly to enginemountings and the like. i v

While not limited in its use, the invention is particularly adapted foruse with taxicabs and other commercial automobiles, trucks and busseswhich are run exceptionally hard and by drivers Whoare at times inclinedto be somewhat careless and frequently figure in collisions in theheavytrafficin which they are called upon to operate.

In the past, the general practice has been to rigidly mount an engine inthe chassis frame, and the experience has been that a tion, particularlythat which involves relative longitudinal movement with the side rails,

imposes such terrific strains on the engine and its mounting as to causedamage and breakage, necessitating costly repairs as wellas tying up theuse of the vehicle during the time repairs are being made. The part thatusually br'eaks is the bell housing or casing for the flywheel andclutch, of which the engine supporting legs'are an integral part, andthe repair of the damage necessitates complete removal of the enginefrom the chassis, and the substitution of a new housing, which at timesmay mean a delay of several weeks be fore a new housing can be securedfrom a source of supply which may be situated at a distantly locatedpoint.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improvedarrangement for mounting an engine which normally will firmly hold theengine in a definite location in the chassis frame but which,in theevent of frame distortion, such as I has heretofore caused breakage ofthe bell housing, will permit a relative movement of the engine in themounting to compensate for the distortion whereby the engine is relievedof the damaging strains.

A preferred, but not necessarily the only embodiment of the inventiomisillustrated in a transverse sectional view of a chassis rame j with anengine mounting therein in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view looking in the direction of the arrows on line 2-2 ofFig. 1.

severe impact tending to cause frame distorthe accompanying drawingwherein Fig. 1 is I Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4is a plan view of one of the engine supporting brackets.

Referring to thedrawing, the numerals 1 -1 indicate a pair of channelshaped, longitudinally extending side sills or members of a chassisframe, in which is to be supported the engine 2 shown in outline. At therear of the engine, the bell housing or casing is prov ded with a pairof integral laterally extending arms or legs 3-3, each of which is,provided with a head 4 havin a peripheral groove for the reception of aody or pad 5 of insulating or cushioning material, such as rubber orother similar elastic composition, 05 held in place by a pair ofencircling, separable retainer members 67 detachably secured to eachother by bolts 8. The lowermost retainer member 7 rests upon asupporting bracket carried by the longitudinal frame member 1. Thisbracket consists of a pair of plate-likemember's 9 and 10, the member 10being secured by bolts or rivets 11 to the lower flange of the channeledframe member 1 and the member 9 being secured by rivets or bolts 76 12to the vertical web of the frame member, the two plates each havingoverlapping end portions preferably welded or otherwise unitedwith eachother and provided with aligned openings through which a long fasteningpin or bolt 13 extends upwardly into threaded engagement with the lowerretainer member 7 Between the head of the bolt 13 and the underside ofthe bracket are a pair of op ositely disposed cups 14-.-14= formingseats or hell- =cally coiled spring 15 which serves to yieldinglymaintain the engine arm on the bracket. Bracing strap 16 is secured atone end by bolt 17 to the upper retainer member 6 and at its oppositeend by bolt 18 to an angle iron member 19, welded, riveted, or otherwisefastened to the upper end of the bracket plate 9.

One of the mounting brackets differs from the other, in that theopeningfor thelong bolt 13 in one instance is circular and ofsubstantially the same diameter as the bolt, while in the other theopening comprises an elongated slot in which the bolt may slide in theevent of frame distortion, such slotted bracket being located at theright in Fig. 1. 100

Referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, showing the parts in greaterdetail, the reference character 20 indicates the elongated slot in thebracket members 9 and 10. In order to position the engine arm indefinite relation on the bracket, there is provided a thin sheet metalplate 21 over the slot and between the bracket and retainer member 7secured to the bracket by one or more bolts 22, and having a circularopening through associated parts fromdamagingstrains.

a damaged plate by a new plate.

'The destruction of the plate is, of course,

a matter of small importance and obviously of less seriousness thanbreakage of the bell housing, since the replacement of a new plate maybe readily made at little or no cost and in a comparatively short time.Furthermore, the destruction of the plate does not disable the vehieleaswould a broken bell housing for even though the locating plate may bedestroyed, the engine arm will still be supported on the bracket andheld thereon by the bolt 13 so that the vehicle maybe run without anyharmful effects on the driving connections, until a convenientopportunity presents itself for the replacementiof 0 make thereplacement it is not necessary to remove the engine fro-1n the chassisframe but the mere detachment of the two bolts 13 and 17 will permit theside of the engine to be jacked up or lifted off the supporting bracketaslight distance sutficient to allow the damaged plate to be slid frombetween, the part 7 vand bracket plate 9 after removal of the fasteningbolt 22 and anew plate can then be inserted. After the new plate issecured by the bolt 22, the engine arm is dropped back on the supportingbracket and fastened by the bolts 13 and 17. Repair of the damage isthus a matter of a few minutes time and trifling cost. A supply ofplates can bekept on hand or they may be readily made up on short noticefrom scraps at any community tin shop, garage or similar place havingfacilities for cutting and punching holes in sheet metal.

As an alternative construction, the plate may be made of heavier stockand the bolt 22 weakened so as to be sheared in two upon strain, whichwill permit the bolt 13 to slide in the slot as before described.

The bracing strap 16 associated with the slotted bracket is providedwith a slotted opening 23.,on which-the bolt 17 mayslide when the enginearm is moved on the bracket, the bracing plate being swung about thebolt 18 asindicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. H

I claim:

1. In combination, an engine, a supporting member therefor, arranged topermit relativemovement of the'engine therewith, and b means associatedwith one of said members to normally maintain the parts in definiterelation with each other, but adapted for destruction to relieve saidmembers of strains.

2. In combination, a supporting bracket having an elongated slottherein, an engine having an arm resting on said bracket with a.dependent stud projecting into said slot,

and a sheet metalplate interposed between said engine'arm and bracketand secured to said bracket over said slot and having an opening throughwhich said dependent stud projects to locatethe enginearm in definiterelation on said bracket. j

3. The structure as claimedinclaim 2 together with meansto yieldinglyrmaintain the engine arm on said bracket.

4. An engine mounting, including an engine arm, resilient cushioningmaterial associated with said arm, retainer elements for said cushioningmaterial, a supporting bracket having an elongated slot therein, a studextending through said slot'into engagement with one of said retainers,spring means associated with the stud to yieldingly maintain theenginearm onsaid bracket, and a comparatively thin and readily destructibleplate carried by thebracket over said slot and engageable with saidstudto normally locate and hold the stud against movement in said slot, butdestructible upon strain'to permit said movement. y

' 5. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a chassis frameand anengine to be supported I I thereon, having lateral arms at each .side

thereof, of meansto mount one of said arms on the frame, and means tomount the other: of said arms to permit relative longitudinal movementwith saidframe upon framedistortion, sa d last mentioned means includingextends, and a readily destructible plate located over said slot andengageable with said stud to normally hold the engine in definiterelation on said bracket, but destructible upon the imposition of unduestrain to allow the stud to move in said slot.

6Q Ina motor vehicleor the like, a chassis frame, an engine to bemounted therein, a plurality of supporting connections between theengine and frame, one of which is a loose connection to permit relativemovement of the engine and frame and means associated with the looseconnection, destructible upon strain to allow relativemovement of theen-' a bracket having an elongated slot, through I which a dependentstud on the engine arm gine and frame but normally holding saidconnection against looseness.

7. In a motor vehicle or the like, a supporting frame, a body having aart resting on the frame, a loose connection between the frame and bodypart to permit relative longitudinal movement thereof upon strain, andmeans normally holding the parts rigid to resist relative longitudinalmovement between the parts, but being fracturable upon abnormal strainto permit such movement.

'8. In a motor vehicle or the like, a supporting frame, a body to besupported having a loose connection with the frame, and a destructiblelocating element for the parts which is breakable upon strain to allowrelative movement of the parts thru the loose connection.

9. In a motor vehicle or the like, a supporting frame, an engine to besupported in the frame having a lateral pin extending thru an elongatedslot in the frame, and a locating element to normally. hold the pinagainst sliding movement in the slot but breakable upon strain to permitsuch movement.

10. In a construction of the character described, two parts to beconnected, a projection on one part extending loosely thru an elongatedslot in the other part for movement therein, and a destructible locatingelement interposed between the parts and removably secured to theslotted part, having an aperture thru which the projection extends inclose fitt-ing relation.

11. In a construction of the character described, two parts to beconnected, a projection on one part extending loosely thru an elongatedslot in the other part for movement therein, a locating elementinterposed between the parts and having an aperture thru which theprojection extends in close fitting relation and'a fastening element forsecuring the first element to the slotted part, one of said elementsbeing destructible to 4 allow movement of the projection in the slot.

12. In a construction of the character described, a load carryingmember, a member to be mounted thereon, means to loosely attach the onemember on the other, and a frail locating element normally resistingrelative movement of the members in a horizontal direction and beingfracturable upon abnormal strain to allow such movement.

13. In a construction of the character described, a projection on onepart extending loosel through an elongated slot in the other part orsliding movement therein in the direction of elongation, anddestructible locating means to normally hold the projection in definiteposition in the slot and which is breakable upon abnormal strain topermit the projection to slide in the slot.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

GEO. H. DAUBNER.

